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hi again! more ineffable newbie questions, if anyone cares to bite:
(and sorry if this is beaten to death, i could not find a related topic with the search function)

i´ve noticed that on manouche / gypsy / selmer type guitars the most expensive models (i.e., the ones that tend to have the finer woods, like brazilian RW) tend to have walnut (juglans regia) necks. in the cumpiano book (and elsewhere) mahogany (switenia macrophilla) is stated as the optimum wood for guitar necks, because - if i got it correctly - of its great stability, optimum strength-to-weight ratio and fine workability, with spanish/south-american "cedar" (cedrela odorata) a fine substitute for nylon strings guitars.

now i know mahogany varies widely in its density, could that be a reason for choosing walnut necks? or should it be "just" a question of tradition (the original selmer guitars from the 30s had walnut necks)? is walnut a good substitute for maple?

and, since i´m at it, what is your wood of choice - if any - for steel-string guitar necks?

thanks in advance,
Miguel.

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member of the guild of professional dilettantes

Miguel,
Mahogany is great for necks for reasons you already know. There are other woods that work well like maple and walnut. With maple, walnut and other woods it is important that you know how to choose wood and recognize run out and quarter sawn vs. flat and rift sawn and how to put them together if making a laminated 3-5 piece neck.
I've used all kinds of woods in my built up necks - walnut, EI rosewood, oak, mahogany, manzanita, bloodwood, koa etc.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

hey, thanks for answering! that makes sense.

cheers,
Miguel.

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member of the guild of professional dilettantes

If you poke around - you will find that almost every wood has been used successfully for making a neck.... Literally almost every wood from Brazilian Rosewood and Ebony to Spruce and Red Cedar...... especially if you use a truss rod....

The 1st thing you should look at when considering a wood choice is:
Can you buy it in large enough, straight grain pieces suitable for making necks....

I love Cherry wood necks - but trees are small and it can be tough to get straight grain pieces without knots/sworls that are big enough....

It turns out that Mahogany makes a fine guitar for the same reasons it makes great furniture.. It is extraordinarily easy and forgiving to work and is available in straight grained pieces large enough for making necks....

So... If you can get ahold of Walnut that makes the cut for neck wood selection -- Use it without fear.

Thanks

John

no, thank you!

happy new year,
Miguel.

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member of the guild of professional dilettantes

Most walnut is a little heavier than most mahogany, so it can throw the balance off of a lightly built smaller guitar. But I've used it and like it. The Peruvian walnut I've used is a little lighter than black walnut and is about the same density of most mahoganies, but it's more difficult to shape.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com